When you first start university, you will soon learn that to successfully complete your degree, learning your course content is only half the challenge. There are also other personal skills such as writing, time management and revision techniques that are key to performing well at university. Thus, to help develop these personal skills, LSE LIFE provides workshops and information to ensure you have all the right skills to excel in your degree.
Workshops
LSE LIFE puts on a series of interactive workshops each week. These sessions are online and in person, located on the ground floor of the Library, so there are bound to be workshops that you will be able to attend.
One of the greatest challenges I faced when first arriving at LSE was learning how to write university-standard essays. Thus, to ensure I had the right technique I attended an LSE LIFE writing skills session. This greatly improved my confidence and understanding of the expectations of undergraduate-level essays and the formats and tools needed to write them. These sessions have been particularly useful as they are often in small groups, meaning that you are able to ask lots of questions and receive individual feedback from the teacher.
LSE LIFE also provides workshops focusing on a range of other personal skills. One of the most insightful workshops I attended was a public speaking workshop. This session worked through the different techniques to create and deliver an effective presentation, using a hands-on approach whereby we were able to practice what we had learnt and received individual feedback on ways to improve. Overall, these workshops have dramatically improved my ability and confidence to use these skills.
One-to-one sessions
LSE LIFE also provides one-to-one sessions which can be booked online on the LSE Student Hub app. These sessions enable you to work through individual questions and problems with advisors. They provide support for many academic matters including help with writing essay plans, helping plan your revision timetable, and helping you make the most out of your set readings.
Online resources
LSE LIFE also offers many resources which can be found online on the LSE Moodle site. These include PowerPoints, worksheets, and video content. Much of the content used in the workshops is uploaded on Moodle, so if you can’t attend a workshop you can check out the Moodle site to fill yourself in.
Personal development skills
As the skills needed to make the most of university are not purely academic, LSE LIFE also offers personal development opportunities.
LSE LIFE provides many opportunities to help become more productive through techniques such as managing your stress. This varies from meditations to creating and managing a schedule. I have found these resources particularly useful during exam season and will be sure to be using some of the techniques I have learnt in the future.
Career help
Facilitated by LSE Careers, LSE LIFE also provides a range of resources and opportunities to help you pursue your career ambitions. This ranges from skill workshops to help you boost your CV to helping with your job application.
I have found the online resources on Moodle particularly useful when it comes to writing a CV and cover letter. These resources have provided me with detailed specific advice regarding career applications and what employers look for. There are also many examples of applications which have been particularly useful, having never written a CV or cover letter before.
